Special Topics In Theatre - The 'Extra' Training

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 5:02pm

What are some special topics in theatre that's good for the resume, or will help in your career? Aside from Acting, Singing, Dancing, and Tech areas...

-Puppetry
-Understudying
-Stage Combat

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 6:10pm

Do you mean a professional resume or college resume?

(I'm a junior so all i hear all day is "college resume, college resume, college resume!")

As for professional resumes, as I understand, it's a good idea to keep seperate resumes for tech stuff and performing stuff. So understudying and puppeteering would be good on a performance resume, and stage combat would go well under "special skills".

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 6:13pm

I'm not an actor, or would never need a resume for an acting job, but I think putting down that you know different languages is a good thing. It shows that you're well-rounded and if the show has a song that's in a different language that you know, it will be a major plus.

[Plum]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 6:19pm

I was also thinking languages, dialects/accents, and/or musical instruments could be useful.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 10:46pm

acrobatics/gymnastics- always helps to be able to flip onstage if they need you to

[nobizlikeshobiz]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 10:52pm

I put good with animals, just in case there's something with animals. Usually the people just look at your special skills to get a sense of what kind of person you are.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 2:34am

there really is no limit to what you can put on a resume under special skills. I've seen a few resumes that listed whistling, jump-roping and double-dutch, as well as eyebrow raising. However, in my opinion, you don't need to go that far.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 1:52pm

I have put fluent in piglatin and jibberish before and they asked me to speak it. It's just good to have something that will make you stand out and it's kind of funny.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 2:04pm

Tumbling is a MUST have in the world of dance/ musical theatre these days...it is almost a standard.

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 2:50pm

I agree--put anything and everything that makes you special and unique.
On mine I have about 10 things listed...
--Irish, English accents
--Play the piano, drums, glockenspiel, trombone and violin
--Know stage make-up (special effects and regular)
--knowledge of some basic puppetry techniques
--Jazz and Irish dance
--some tumbling
--fast learner and works well with children

sometimes I'll add otherstuff specifically for one show (IE when I auditioned for Singin' in the Rain, I put that I was very good at "character" voices.
My advice is just put what ever you think sets you apart from the crowd.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 2:53pm

One caution - if you list a skill on your resume, make sure you are extremely good at it. Don't put down anything you can "kind of" do well. If you are called on it and can't deliver, you'll be very sorry.